TEHRAN.(Iranart) - A total of 29 fiction, 24 animated and 12 experimental films are competing in different categories of the 34th Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF), currently underway in Tehran.

According to a press release by the public relations office of the festival, Sadeq Mousavi, director of the event said: “33 years of holding short film festivals has bequeathed upon us invaluable experience and rendered the TISFF the main film festival in the Middle East.”

The best of each category will receive a trophy, an honorary diploma and a cash prize of 3,000 euros ($3500). The best film in the main competition is chosen by the jury as the winner of the Grand Prix and will be awarded a trophy, a diploma and € 6,000 ($7,000) in prize money.

“Unfortunately, short films do not have much appeal outside festivals. The festival actually serves as a platform to discover and identify talents in short film industry,” Mousavi noted.

This year’s TISFF received 5,859 international submissions from 117 countries. After assessment, 110 films from 43 countries in the international section and 9 Iranian films in the national section were selected for screening at the October 17-22 event.